


The Next Avatar

by candyfloss_and_soy_milk



Series: Self Indulgent Alternate Universes [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternative Universe: Avatar Universe, Destiny, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Past Lives, Self-Discovery, Spirit World, completely self indulgent, sorry - Freeform, there'll be more tagged added soon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2018-12-26 04:48:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12051642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/candyfloss_and_soy_milk/pseuds/candyfloss_and_soy_milk
Summary: Jung Hoseok is having trouble with nearly every aspect about being the Avatar following Korra, to the point where he wishes he wasn't. So when he meets a mysterious stranger in the spirit world, he seizes a stupid opportunity to assume an identity as an ordinary guy.





	1. A Spirit Nap

**Author's Note:**

> Because I lack creativity, Yoongi is Hoseok's adopted brother, Tae and Kookie are brothers, as are Jimin and Jin.

"Ow fuck," Yoongi rubbed his head, "cut it out or aim away from me."  
"Sorry! I'm just getting the hang of this one move," Hoseok grunted and pushed his hands in front of him. He was struggling to move a boulder, and was only managing to throw a couple small rocks. Another one flew toward Yoongi, who ducked out of the way.  
"God, you'd think the Avatar was better at bending the element of his nation." Yoongi winced. "Such a shame."  
"What? It's not that I can't earth-bend...it's just that I'm having a bit of trouble."  
"How's your water-bending going, by the way? Jin-hyung teaching you well?" Yoongi returned his attention to his book and flipped through it.  
"Yeah I guess. His attacks are pretty complicated; my healing lessons with Jiminnie are going well though." He tried to move the boulder again, unsuccessfully.  
"Oh goody. Firebending?" Yoongi smirked, fully aware that mentioning Hoseok's lessons with Taehyung would trigger him.  
Which it did; Hoseok huffed. "Fine. Jungkookie doesn't exactly help, horsing around with fireballs and stuff."  
"We ought to get you an air-bending teacher."  
"The air nomads are kind of reserved, you know that."  
"I could try to contact Master Jinora?"  
"Nah, I wouldn't want to bother the old lady." Hoseok tensed, trying his hardest to push the boulder. He eventually needed to breathe so released and collapsed onto the floor. Yoongi didn't even look up.  
"I'm sure she wouldn't mind. She was close with Avatar Korra anyway."  
"Hyung?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Can I just not be the Avatar?"  
Yoongi closed his book, stood up and walked to squat beside Hoseok. "Nope."  
"Ugh why not? I don't want to be a bender at all. Can I just be like you?"  
"Nope."  
"Please?"  
Yoongi hit Hoseok on the forehead. "It's a gift, you moron. You'll get there eventually."  
Hoseok put an arm over his eyes, "but Avatar Aang mastered the elements in like 9 months."  
"Well he didn't, he learned the elements in 9 months. That's completely different."  
"Forget it, I'm just tired okay?" Hoseok rarely sounded miserable, so it was a bad sign.  
"Aw come on dude." He nudged Hoseok's belly. "How about we finish up for today?"  
"Sure." Hoseok huffed, his mouth making the ^ shape. 

~

"It's not that big of a deal," Yoongi sipped some tea. "You've got your entire life to master the elements. There's no immediate threat, so there's nothing to worry about."  
"Yeah, and we'll be with you every step of the way," Jimin patted Hoseok's shoulder, his voice quiet in the loud noodle house.  
Hoseok was still adjusting to Republic City, uncomfortable being surrounded by people all the time. He'd been raised in a small Earth Nation village in the middle of the mountains, so was used to the quiet tranquility of a town of no more than a hundred people. Republic City was a whole different ballgame; he needed to be there though, guarding the spirit portal as the Avatar, but god, at what cost? The cost of his sanity that's what. The only good things about moving was the friends he made in his teachers.  
Jimin and Seokjin were brothers from the Southern Water tribe: both benders, but Jimin prioritised healing. Taehyung and Jungkook, also brothers, were born in Republic City, but descended from the Fire Nation. The four were very welcoming to Yoongi and himself, the six of them quickly forming a strong bond. Hoseok often considered if he had found his very own Team Avatar.  
After his long day spent training earth-bending, he needed to unwind with his pals, even if it meant being in the loudest possible noodle house.  
"You'll get there eventually, hyung." Taehyung smiled, making Hoseok's stomach do backflips. God, of all the people to fall for, it had to be his cheeky fire-bending mentor.  
"Thanks, can we just chill please? And drop all the training talk for the moment."  
"Sure," Seokjin snapped open his chopsticks, "ready to order?"  
"Yes please, I'm dying here," Jungkook leant his elbows on the table. The elder boys laughed at him, ever the dramatic. A waitress came over and they made their orders, and it wasn't long before the topic of bending came back up again.  
"Oh right," Seokjin leant into the table, "did you guys hear about that rogue air-bender?"  
"Come on, hyung-" Hoseok said, rubbing his temples, but was interrupted.  
"Ooh no what's going on?" Taehyung looked thrilled by the concept of an air-bender that was anything but peaceful.  
"Well I hear that he was living on Air Temple Island, but got pissed about the lifestyle and just up and left."  
"Really?" Even Yoongi sounded intrigued.  
"Yeah, yeah and," Jimin was on the edge of his seat, "I heard someone saw him causing trouble in Ba Sing Se."  
"What kind of trouble?" Jungkook asked.  
"Something about not being served meat in a restaurant-"  
"This dude ordered meat?" Taehyung was buzzing with excitement. There was rarely any funny business these days, so something or someone kicking up a fuss was scandalous.  
"Yeah, it's totally outrageous." Seokjin leant back in his seat, pleasantly surprised that he'd stirred a thrilling conversation.  
"Great okay, can we get back to not talking about this?" Hoseok closed his eyes, he really was exhausted: physically and mentally, thinking about facing his destiny.  
"Oh but-" they continued to talk loudly about the mysterious air-bending rebel, and Hoseok decided it wouldn't hurt to nap and tune the five of them out. 

~

Hoseok was sitting in a forest, under a tree. Spirits flew buzzed around him, sensing Raava's spirit inside of him.  
"It's the Avatar," one whispered.  
"Ssh! Don't bug him," another hissed, "I'm sure he gets mobbed all the time."  
"You're right, I totally do," Hoseok smirked and looked directly at the hovering spirits. Both looked stunned for a moment before flying away and hiding up amongst the branches.  
He laughed and closed his eyes, soaking in the warm aura of the forest; he knew the spirit world well, often coming in his dreams. At first, coming here freaked him out, but after a while he accepted that weird shit like this would happen, considering him being the bridge between the two worlds.  
He simply sat for a while, finally relaxed and away from his loud friends. That was until he heard a branch snap. Few humans passed through this part of the spirit world, so he immediately got defensive. Even though he couldn't bend when in this state, he could still pretend like he could for protection.  
Hoseok stood up and put his fists up in defence, ready to fake earth-bend if necessary. He crept forwards, looking around him and between the trees. Behind a particularly thick tree trunk, he saw orange and yellow cloth draped over a protruding root. Unsurprising: air-benders and nomads were very spiritual people, so often visited, but not normally in the nude.  
Hoseok silently approached the tree and peered around the trunk, only to see the robes and nothing else. He put down his fists and began to wander aimlessly, no longer bothered about bumping into another person.  
That was the case until he walked right into a tall man, body tense and solid with muscle. Hoseok felt the mans hands on his upper arms, supposedly steadying him. "Woah there," he said, "might want to watch where you're going."  
Hoseok looked up at the man, his face drastically differing from his lower body. He had fairly chubby cheeks, dented with dimples when he smiled. His eyes formed a cheeky eye-smile and his voice... oh man.  
"Sorry- I- uh-" Hoseok stammered and stepped back, out of the mans grasp.  
"It's cool, don't worry about it." He laughed a little awkwardly, a hand going quickly to his waist to hold up a towel. He noticed Hoseok's eyes flicking up and down looking at the mans wet hair and poorly tied towel. "Oh sorry, I was just having a dip."  
"It's fine, I don't judge," Hoseok tried a casual tone but stumbled and rushed over his words. "Not many people visit the spirit world just to skinny dip."  
"Hey, I was not skinny dipping-" he laughed again, "well I guess I was, I just- ah it's hard to explain." He rubbed his neck with his free hand.  
Hoseok laughed too, "nah I wouldn't worry about it. Loads of people do weird shit here. I've just never bumped into an exhibitionist."  
"I am not, I was just having a bath."  
"Mhmm you tell yourself that." Hoseok was finding this guy easy to talk to; easy to tease.  
"Can I get to my clothes please?"  
Hoseok stepped aside, "go ahead, although if you're more comfortable-"  
"I'm not an exhibitionist, dude!" He laughed and walked to grab his clothes. "Don't look while I change." The guy pointed at Hoseok sternly, but he still had a smile on his face, dorky and endearing.  
"Aw but I was really looking forward to looking." But Hoseok obeyed and turned his back.  
"Ah a cheeky one are we?"  
"Bitch I might be," Hoseok said, making the other guy laugh.  
"Alright, I'm decent," the guy said, "you can now look at me without blushing." Hoseok hadn't even realised he'd been blushing this entire time.  
"Ah much better," Hoseok said, smirking.  
"Might I know your name? Considering you've seen me naked, I think I deserve to know." The guy leant on the tree.  
"I could say the same to you," Hoseok said, "it seems rude that I've seen you in the nude and don't know your name."  
"Good point," he held out his hand for Hoseok to shake, "my names Kim Namjoon. Air-bender."  
Hoseok wasn't fond of people introducing themselves like this, but he smiled anyway, "Jung Hoseok, uh-"  
"It's okay if you're not a bender. Sorry I was pushy about it. I didn't mean for it to come across as braggy."  
"No it's just, uh-" Hoseok thought for a moment. He was a complete stranger, and was only recently announced as the Avatar so it's no surprise that everyone didn't recognise the name. After all, he'd done nothing as of yet to warrant the title. "No problem. But I could have guessed you're an Air Nomad. The yellow and orange gives it away. And the arrow tattoos."  
"Right yeah," Namjoon rubbed his neck again, clearly a nervous habit, "it's pretty obvious." He laughed a little before asking: "so you're Earth Kingdom?"  
"Yep," Hoseok gestured down at his green threads. "How'd you guess?"  
"I wonder."  
The two laughed. "how'd you get here? I've never known an ordinary dude to come to the spirit world on a whim."  
Hoseok inhaled, it didn't make sense with this ruse. "My mum was an air-nomad, taught me some spiritual stuff like meditating. I guess I was good at it 'cause I was just napping." It wasn't lying per se, but not the entire truth.  
"Really?" Namjoon raised an eyebrow, like he was dubious, but didn't bring it up again. "So want a tour? I kind of know these parts pretty well."  
"That'd be great, but I'm actually out with my friends at the minute. I can meet you here tomorrow though?" Hoseok suggested.  
Namjoon shrugged, "yeah, sure. Not got a lot on my plate lately, so why not? Same time or?"  
"Yeah sounds good." Hoseok extended a hand, "it was good to meet you Namjoon."  
He took his hand and shook it, "good to meet you too, Hoseok. See you tomorrow."  
Hoseok started to walk away, smiling at his new acquaintance and waving. He made it back to the tree and sat back down.  
Almost immediately he woke up in the restaurant, feeling bad about ditching Namjoon. Jimin, the more observant and openly caring of his friends, noticed the sad look on Hoseok's face.  
"Hey hyung, what's up? You were out for like an hour-"  
"Your noodles even went cold," Seokjin said, "want them heated up?"  
Hoseok gestured dismissively, "no, no, I'm okay, I'm not all that hungry anyway."  
Seokjin started to protest, but Yoongi stopped him: "should we make a move then? Box these noodles up and head home?"  
"Yeah that'd be cool." The others started to stand up, "thanks and I'm sorry guys."  
Jungkook pouted slightly, but said: "nah it's cool. It's no fun when one of us falls asleep at the table."  
"But we'll see you tomorrow for training right, hyung?" Taehyung patted Hoseok on the back, his touch hot through his clothes. The wide smile and his crescent eyes made Hoseok's heart flip; he just wished he could spend more time with his friends aside from training and eating in dives like the noodle restaurant.  
"Yeah," Hoseok sounded flat, but Taehyung's smile pushed a fake looking one of his own out.  
"Come on then, sleepy head," Yoongi dragged Hoseok out of the booth and led him out. "Night guys," he called back to their friends, who offered kind waves. They were out on the pavement and walking briskly toward their district when Yoongi next spoke. "Did you have a dream? Prophetic or...?"  
"No, it was different this time. I was fully conscious in the Spirit World." Hoseok avoided Yoongi's concerned eyes.  
"Dude, what the fuck?" Yoongi exclaimed, "how do you even do that?"  
"I dunno but I didn't nap. I'm shattered, hyung."  
Yoongi brushed off the topic and reached an arm over Hoseok's shoulders. "Okay then, we'll talk about it in the morning though. That cool?"  
"Yeah."  
They walked the rest of the way back to their apartment in silence, the only sound was nearby clubs and bars and their customers making a ruckus.


	2. By the Lake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hoseok trains with Taehyung and Jungkook and gets to know Namjoon a little better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! I actually managed to update this fic  
> I do plan on writing more over the next week or so so hopefully I can update a little more

“Come on, hyung, don’t just dodge, fight back!” Jungkook yelled after chucking fireballs in the general direction of Hoseok’s face.   
“If you gave me one second to think before you nearly barbecue my face-” Hoseok ducked, narrowly missing one of Taehyung’s fireballs, “-maybe I could fight back!”  
“Don’t think, hyung! Just feel it, in your-”  
“-chi I know.” Hoseok rolled his eyes, which in hindsight was a bad idea.  
“Don’t sass your Firebending teachers!” Jungkook sent a gust of flame at Hoseok, quickly followed by a similar gust from Taehyung. Hoseok looked between the two streams of fire and, in the last second before he was roasted, threw himself to the ground, his back uncomfortably warm from the proximity.  
Taehyung walked over, clicking his tongue, but still with a grin plastered on his face. “Hey hyung,” he extended a hand to Hoseok, “you didn’t get burned too badly today. That’s progress.” Hoseok took his hand and was hoisted up by the younger boy (avoiding thinking about holding Taehyung’s hand because why would he feel anything? He doesn’t feel any butterflies. Nope. None.)   
“Taehyungie-” Taehyung looked to his younger brother, “he still hasn’t managed to produce sustainable flames himself though.”  
“I know guys, and I’m sorry.” Hoseok pulled his hand from Taehyung’s grasp and wiped the sweat off on his trousers. “You know I’m just bad at all types of bending. I’m supposed to be able to and I just can’t.”  
“Aw hyung,” Jungkook said, wrapping his arm around Hoseok’s shoulders, followed by Taehyung. “It’s okay, it just takes time. You only found out you were the Avatar not long ago. And you’ve got your whole life to master all four elements.”  
“You have all the time in the world. There’s no rush, hyungie.” Taehyung squeezed Hoseok’s shoulder.   
He said nothing in response though. All of his teachers told him the same. Yoongi, Jimin, Seokjin, Taehyung and Jungkook all constantly reminded him that there was no rush, he could take his time. It was still so much for him to handle, despite his friends’ efforts to comfort him. With a half-hearted smile, Hoseok nodded to his friends, feigning understanding to mask his anxiety. 

~

“Don’t move, Hobi.” Seokjin scolded, as he and Jimin healed the grazes on Hoseok’s skin. It wasn’t much and Hoseok has insisted they lay off, but it wasn’t long before the two Southern Tribe brothers pinned him to the floor and got to work healing him.  
“How do you always get hurt during training anyway, hyung?” Jimin asked, the water he manipulated swirled in mesmerising patterns, reflecting onto his face.  
“Tae and Kookie have a very unique way of teaching.”  
“Hey! It’s how we were taught by our parents.” Jungkook whined, throwing a grape into his mouth.  
“I think your parents had a misguided method of teaching...and parenting.” Seokjin said, making his younger brother scoff.  
“I’m not even surprised; brutes raising brutes.” Yoongi didn’t look up from his book. He licked his finger and turned the page. “Why would you expect any more from Jungkook’s parents?” Taehyung burst into laughter, getting hit by Jungkook. The youngest looked to the smartass behind the book and shot a bullet of fire at the book he was holding. Flames quickly engulfed the book, making the Earth Kingdom boy drop the book and stamp out the flames. Without looking up, Seokjin sent a bubble of water over to douse the flames at Yoongi’s feet. He looked up and scowled at Jungkook, gesturing at the ash at his feet. “Point proven, little shit. That was new as well.”  
Hoseok didn’t even have to see Yoongi to know he was pouting into his bookshelves, looking for a new text to read for the fiftieth time. He laughed and closed his eyes. “Are you guys nearly done? I can feel I’m not bleeding anymore.”  
“You’re still bruised though.” Seokjin frowned down at Hoseok.  
“I think I can deal with a few measly bruises.” He said, sitting up, knocking the waterbender’s hands, spilling it onto his tunic.   
“Hyung!” Jimin whined, his pouty lips hanging open, disappointed.   
“Whatever, Jiminnie, he doesn’t want it. We can’t force him.” Seokjin put a hand on Hoseok’s back. “He can ache if he wants.” The smile Seokjin gave him was sour. He is a lovely guy, a sweetheart even, and cares so much about his friends. So when he wanted to heal his friends, he wanted to see the process through. He doesn’t like his friends in pain, so gets reasonably salty when he’s not allowed to fully heal his friends, even if his speciality was combat bending. Hoseok sat up properly and offered an apologetic look to Seokjin, who simply pouted and stood up. He walked to Hoseok’s fridge and swung it open. “If you won’t have the decency to let me heal you, at least let me cook-” the oldest paused. “Hoseok.”  
“What?” The avatar asked.   
“When was the last time you bought food?”  
“Last month, probably.” Yoongi didn’t look up, but Hoseok could see his adopted brother smirking behind the book.   
Jimin inhaled sharply, knowing all too well what Seokjin was going to do to Hoseok. “Incoming, hyung.”  
The older waterbender had balled up a towel and thrown it at Hoseok; it didn’t do any harm, as per usual with Seokjin - he was ever the pacifist with his friends - but the facial expression on his face was pure anger. “You need to look after yourself better, you little shit!”  
The other four fell silent, eyes looking anywhere but the enraged Seokjin and self-pitying Hoseok.   
“I try-“  
“Trying is not good enough! You’re the goddamn avatar and horsing around, not looking after your body when you damn well need it to function properly, is not going to go down well. No wonder you’re struggling with training!”  
In the silent moments that followed, someone audibly winced at Seokjin’s last comment.   
“Hyung,” Jimin piped up, “I think you need to cool off.”  
Seokjin couldn’t leave faster, the door to Hoseok’s apartment slamming in his wake.   
Yoongi pinched the bridge of his nose. “Hobi, you couldn’t have just let him heal you fully, could you?” He closed his new book and placed it on the table, before walking out to follow Seokjin. A tiny part of Hoseok, that wasn’t ashamed at himself, smiled internally. He was aware of the unspoken bond his two hyungs shared, and it was only a matter of time before something happened between them.   
Jungkook, of all people, was the one to break the silence. “Alright, let’s see what we’ve got here.” The youngest strode over to the fridge and scanned the shelves.   
“What are you doing, Gukkie?” Taehyung asked his brother.   
“We’re seeing what we can work with. If we can throw together some food for when the hyungs come back-“  
Jimin stood up and approached the fridge as well “-we can surprise them.”  
Taehyung, always jealous of anyone leaving him out, leapt up and slung his arms around Hoseok, making the older one flush. “I’m in, are you, hyungie?”  
Hoseok always felt cornered by Taehyung’s huge brown eyes, those damned butterflies filling his stomach every time. He nodded in response, prompting a huge smile to grow on the younger’s face. Hoseok smiled softly in response. 

~

The avatar’s eyes flew open and he found himself standing by a lake in the spirit world. He had wanted to meditate, but not come here, especially after the day he’d had; he didn’t want to be accosted by any spirits he might bump into. Hoseok sat back down and tried to go home, but something about the light lapping of the wind stirring the water in the lake made him want to just sit and watch for a while. It wasn’t his initial intention, but Hoseok figured it might be useful to have a little break from the hectic apartment.   
Seokjin and Yoongi had shortly returned, while Jimin and Jungkook were preparing some bubble and squeak with leftover potatoes that had been shrivelling in the back of Hoseok’s fridge. Taehyung and Hoseok, while setting the table, tossed a tiny fireball between the two, as it was all that Hoseok had been able to muster in his months of training with the firebending brothers. Hoseok’s eyes caught the quick separation of his hyungs’ hands and the avatar offered his brother a suggestive smirk. All he got in response was the older earth nation boy mouthing for him to “fuck off.”  
While they were eating, Hoseok apologised profusely to Seokjin, who forgave him at the first apology. All Seokjin ever wants is his friends to be healthy and happy, and Hoseok promised to let him finish healing him after dessert - because, a miracle! Jimin had found a bag of frozen berries and had sent Jungkook out to get some ice cream, so the group could have summer berry compote and vanilla ice cream.   
He was now fully healed, his astral projection sitting cross legged by the lake, doing no more than watching the waves lap nearby his feet. Swaying reeds lulled him into a daze, not paying attention to anything around him, not even the person calling his name. He was only roused when he felt a prod on his back.   
“Hey,” Namjoon sat beside Hoseok on the bank. “You’re early.”  
Panic. Instant panic. Hoseok had forgotten that he actually planned to meet someone in the Spirit World. He scrambled for a response, “ah uh, yeah, I kind of- uh-“  
Namjoon laughed, “don’t worry, it’s chill. I just figured we’d meet in the forest.” He fiddled with his staff as he sat, watching the waves as Hoseok watched his face, a blush creeping up the taller guy’s face. “You know this is the lake, right?”  
“Pardon?” It took Hoseok a second to register what he meant, and once he had, he burst out laughing. “Your skinny dipping lake, huh?”   
“Like I said, it was a bath, but uh- yeah.” He giggled a little and Hoseok couldn’t help but feel endeared by the sound.   
They sat in a comfortable silence for a little while, each of them looking at the other while one wasn’t looking. Hoseok felt a warm sense of serenity as he sat beside Namjoon, unlike his friends back home that made his pulse run high at all times, especially Taehyung.   
“So,” Hoseok said, thinking about his dumb crush, “can I be nosy?”  
“Go for it.” Namjoon leaned back onto his elbows in a somewhat suggestive position, but his face was open and inquisitive to contrast.   
“Do you like anyone?”   
At that, Namjoon blushed to his (purple, which Hoseok found particularly thrilling) hair roots. “Dude I’ve known you for 24 hours, and you ask something like that?”  
Hoseok shrugged, “I’ve been told I make people uncomfortable, so why not embrace it by asking deep questions?”  
“You don’t make me uncomfortable.” Namjoon said bluntly.   
The avatar felt his ears heat up, “well then answer the question.”  
The taller boy hummed, apparently deep in thought. “There was this girl.”  
Without him wanting to, Hoseok’s heart sank. He admitted to himself he was attracted to the airbender, despite his dumb crush on the firebender back home, so hearing of his potential straightness is a bit of a let down to Hoseok. “Oh?” Is all he said.   
“Yeah, after I broke up with my boyfriend,” Hoseok perked up again, “she was sort of a rebound. She was nice to me and was a generally kind person, but she left to join the army and I haven’t seen her since.”  
“That’s rough buddy,” Hoseok patted Namjoon’s shoulder.   
The taller looked up at Hoseok from his position, an unreadable facial expression on his face, “what about you? You pried into my emotions, what about you?” The blank face turned into a smirk.   
Hoseok laughed nervously. How would he explain the situation without spilling that he’s the avatar. Hell, the only reason he first met Taehyung and the other benders was because of him needing a teacher. “Ah, well, when me and my brother moved to the city-“  
“You live in Republic City? That’s my hometown!” Namjoon sat up, now eye to eye with Hoseok, and the shorter guy could just see the excitement sparkle in his eyes. He stared a little too long and Namjoon cleared his throat. “Sorry, I interrupted.” He looked away briefly and waved a hand. “Carry on.”  
“We were moving from a tiny Earth Kingdom village, so we knew literally no one when we came down here.” Hoseok smiled a small smile as he remembered. “I recall that one of the moving vans got stuck in traffic, so Yoongi and I-“ Namjoon looked confused, before Hoseok could clarify “-my brother and I that is, waited outside our apartment building. We hadn’t been there for five minutes before we saw a fight break out across the street. Two firebenders kicked off at a street vendor who whacked them with water. The brawl came out into the street and the two firebenders had trouble not getting their asses beat.” He remembered exactly what had happened and decided on a whim to tweak the details. “My- uh- brother is the avatar and he sort of stepped in to try keep the peace.”  
“Woah, you’re the brother of the avatar? That’s so cool.” Namjoon sounded amazed, and for once Hoseok felt a little blessed that it wasn’t him being put on a pedestal.   
“Yeah it is, but he kind of desperately need a teacher for each element, so all he could manage was a couple rocks to knock some sense into the vendor and the firebenders.” Hoseok smiled with a slight blush on his cheeks. “The vendor got all pissy but backed down. The two firebenders thanked Yoongi and they offered to be his bending teachers and even offered to help out with us moving in.”  
“So I take it one of the firebenders is your crush.”  
Hoseok sighed, a little ashamed of himself. “Yeah, the older one. Taehyung. They’re brothers.”  
“Ah right.”  
“Thing is,” Hoseok said, looking away from Namjoon, thoughts of how pathetic he is swarming inside of him. “I think he likes Yoongi’s waterbending teacher. Or one of. I think Yoongi likes Seokjin, the older waterbender. But I reckon Taehyung likes Jimin, the younger waterbender.”  
“Oh.”  
“Yeah, it’s all very childish. It’s like we’re primary school kids.” Hoseok laughed, without amusement behind it. “I like Tae, but Tae likes Jimin, who’s brother is Jin, who I think likes my brother who likes him back.”  
“Crap, that is pretty convoluted.” Namjoon laughed sympathetically. “It’s okay though. Things change with time.”  
They fell silent for a minute or so, only to be broken by Hoseok adding to the mess of his friendship group. “I think Jungkook might like Jimin as well. He’s Taehyung’s little brother.”  
Namjoon layghed again. “Goddamn this Jimin. He must be cute. When can I meet him?”  
“Never! You’re my friend and you’re not getting caught up in this mess as well.” Hoseok laughed despite himself.   
See, he didn’t hate Jimin, the guy is a sweetheart just like his brother. But he was also more oblivious than a blind man in an art gallery. He couldn’t see that two adorable (and yes Hoseok thought Jungkook was adorable too, but in more of a brotherly way. He just wanted to squish his cheeks most of the time.) guys were into him in a big way. In fact, Hoseok commended Jimin for not being able to see and therefore hurt as a result.   
“Well for whatever it’s worth, I think you’re cool enough to deserve better than not being liked back.” Namjoon said, and it seemed like a bit of a mouthful to Hoseok, prompting him to look at the taller boy with a confused expression. “I mean- uh- you deserve to be liked back.”  
Hoseok chuckled, low and breathy, “thanks Namjoon.”  
There was a couple of moments in which they sat in silence, once again falling into that peaceful serenity of Namjoon’s presence, that was until the airbender remembered what they planned to do.   
“Ah yeah, you still good for that tour? I can show you some of the cool parts of the forest? If you want?” Namjoon stood up, extending a hand to help Hoseok up.   
The avatar smiled, even though he knows the spirit world better than Republic City. He nodded, taking Namjoon’s hand. 

~

“So we never got around to that talk, huh, Hobi?” Yoongi stood in the doorway to his room.  
He’d just left the spirit world and was thoroughly exhausted; he draped an arm over his face and groaned. “So you want to talk now? It’s like 2am.”  
“Well you’re awake aren’t you?” Yoongi walked in, sitting on the chair at Hoseok’s desk, spinning on it absentmindedly.   
“Hyung please, let me sleep.”  
“You’ve been napping since like 7, how can you be tired?”  
Hoseok removed his arm and stared at the ceiling. “I went to the Spirit World.”  
“Fully conscious again?” Yoongi tried to sound like he wasn’t intrigued, but failed.   
“Yep.”  
“Huh.”  
There was an awkward period of silence between the two brothers. It happened more often than Hoseok would like to admit. Yoongi was always a reserved guy, probably stemming from his adoption into Hoseok’s family, so it was inevitable that sometimes Yoongi wouldn’t know what to say to his younger brother. Hoseok would often have to be the one to break the silence.   
“I met someone.”  
The older of the two raised his eyebrows. “Like met someone, met someone or just met someone?”  
“Dude please. It’s not like that.” Even as he said it, Hoseok’s face betrayed him, blushing furiously. “He’s an airbender.”  
“Oh so you found a teacher?”  
“Well no not really. I can’t bend when I meditate into the Spirit World, so he doesn’t-“ Hoseok stopped himself. He’d surely get a lecture if Yoongi knew about his lies. They were eating himself from the inside out as it was, he didn’t need his brother berating him because of it.   
“He doesn’t...what?” Yoongi narrowed his eyes. “Hoseok, what have you done?”  
He sat up, eyes wide defensively, even though he knows he’s done something wrong. “Nothing! It’s just-“ he scrambled to find an answer. “He doesn’t want to teach me.” Not technically a lie, but hey, he never actually asked Namjoon if he wanted to teach Airbending.   
“Oh. Well. He sounds like an ass.” Yoongi folded his arms.   
Hoseok scoffed, “hyung you don’t even know him. He’s cool. He’s got purple hair!”  
“You sure you’re not into him? What happened to Tae?” Yoongi pressed.   
“What?”  
“I know about your little crush, you’re not very subtle.” Hoseok’s face drained of blood, which Yoongi noticed. “You’re just lucky Tae is oblivious.”  
Hoseok exhaled a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He looked at his brother who raised an eyebrow at him. “Well, I do still like Tae, I guess-“  
“You guess?”  
“Yes, I guess. I don’t know it’s complicated.”  
“Is it?”  
Hoseok grunted, all these questions were starting to get to him. “Well you know he likes Jimin.”  
“Yeah and? Crushes don’t necessarily end successfully.” Hoseok pouted. “What? You know I didn’t mean you- ah I’m not good at this.”  
Yoongi pinched the bridge of his nose again. Silence fell again, as did Hoseok back onto his bed with a sigh.   
“You know, this is not where I thought this conversation was gonna go.” Hoseok laughed, which surprisingly got a chuckle out of Yoongi too.   
“I just wanted to ask about your Spirit World adventures.” Yoongi shrugged, that awkward smile of his on his face.   
“You were the one that made it about crushes.” Hoseok turned to look at his brother. “Speaking of, Jin-hyung-“  
“Don’t go there. It’s not like that.”  
“Sure it isn’t.” Hoseok draped his arm back over his face. “Okay, I’m tired, get the fuck out my room and let me damn well sleep.”  
Yoongi huffed out a laugh. “Alright, sleep well, Mr Avatar.”  
“Goodnight asshole.”  
Before closing the door, Yoongi corrected him: “hyung.”  
Hoseok laughed to himself, before letting sleep take him.

**Author's Note:**

> Pretty much the lamest most self indulgent thing on the planet; partially inspired by @krostiniel on twitter and their fan art sorting the boys into nations... yes I'm trash but sue me (but seriously please go support their art; they're amazing)


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